Page 63 of Mistaken Identity
He nodded. “Let’s go save them from all those dark and broody looks they’re giving each other.”
We walked back over to Audric and his dad when Posy called out, “Now you can stop acting like you’re not in love with a woman halfway across the world.”
Carter whipped his head around to glare at Posy.
“Ahh.” I nodded. “The pineapple lady.”
Carter’s eyes came to me.
“They were really good pineapples,” I admitted. “I’m sorry I ate one, but I totally replaced it.”
Fifteen
What essential oil is best to get people to stop talking to you?
—Creole to Audric
CREOLE
I’d never felt so happy in my life, and it had everything to do with the man who was currently on the phone with me, trying to talk me into a date.
“I’m so sorry,” I apologized. “But I seriously can’t. I have to work, and as the senior flight attendant in charge, they need me. There aren’t enough experienced flight attendants anymore for me to just take the day off.”
He growled with barely any heat. “What if I went with you?”
I thought about that for a moment before saying, “I think I could make that happen. If you really wanted to. I’m allowed to get a discount on airfare for friends and family. I can get you on a flight with me…but that’s a long rotation. Are you sure you want to do that? You have that huge project going on at work right now.”
“That’s the benefit of being the big boss,” he pointed out.
“I’ll see what I can get set up,” I relayed as I ended the call.
For weeks we’d been playing this back-and-forth game, and my heart was all there for it.
I loved that he was taking it slow with me.
I loved even more that he didn’t seem impatient or upset in any way.
I also liked that he was upfront about where we both knew this was going.
Just last night we’d had a talk about what he wanted—and that was me.
He said he’d take me any way he could get me, and we’d move at whatever pace that I was comfortable with.
Which meant that it was time to tell him about Patty.
Speaking of Patty, I reached out and sent out a quick text to check in with him.
Me:
Hey, Patty. You doing okay? Haven’t heard from you in a week.
Patty:
Doing okay. Work. Kids. Uprisings. The usual. How is the new guy?
I smiled.
Patty knew my ‘new guy’ wasn’t necessarily a ‘new guy.’
